Romanian legislative election, 2016

Romanian legislative election, 2016
Romania
11 December 2016
308 deputies
134 senators
 
Leader Liviu Dragnea[1] Alina Gorghiu Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Party PSD PNL ALDE
Leader since 22 July 2015 18 December 2014 19 June 2015
Leader's seat D – Teleorman D – Bucharest S – Bucharest
Last election 59 S, 33.52%
150 D, 36.41%		 50 S, 28.41%
100 D, 24.27%		 did not participate
did not participate
 
Leader Traian Băsescu Nicușor Dan Hunor Kelemen
Party PMP USR UDMR
Leader since 27 March 2016 21 August 2016 26 February 2011
Leader's seat S – Bucharest D – Bucharest D – Harghita
Last election did not participate
did not participate		 did not participate
did not participate		 9 S, 5.11%
18 D, 4.37%
Incumbent Prime Minister

Dacian Cioloș
Independent
Romania
Coat of arms of Romania
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Romania

Legislative elections are scheduled to be held in Romania[2] on 11 December 2016.[3] Elections will be held according to new rules, following the amendment of electoral legislation during 2015. The legislation provides the return to election by list, last used in the 2004 elections. The new electoral legislation provides a norm of representation for deputies of 73,000 inhabitants and 168,000 inhabitants for senators, which will lead to a decrease in the number of MPs.[4] 466 parliamentary seats (308 deputies, 18 minority deputies, and 134 senators) will be contested, versus 588 parliamentarians who had been elected in 2012. The diaspora will be further represented by four deputies and two senators, a premiere consisting in the introduction of vote-by-mail for this type of elections.[5]

New electoral system

The legislative election of 2016 will unfold differently compared to 2012 and 2008. On 24 February 2015, the Electoral Code Commission decided in principle for the future electoral law to return to party-list proportional representation, thereby relinquishing the first-past-the-post (uninominal) voting system as introduced in 2008.[6] The option of turning the Parliament of Romania into a perfectly bicameral parliament, with some 300 deputies being elected on a closed list and 100 senators being elected by a single-round uninominal majority vote, had been discussed for years[7] and even agreed upon between the ruling Social Democratic Party and the opposition.[8] The new electoral law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis on 20 July 2015 however didn't retain uninominal constituencies for the Senate. Closely sticking to the commission's recommendations, the new electoral law completely returns to party-list proportional representation.[9]

With a representation norm of one deputy per 73,000 inhabitants and one senator per 168,000 inhabitants,[10] a total of 308 deputies will be elected, to which are added the 18 deputies of minorities, 134 senators and 6 MPs of diaspora (two senators and four deputies).[11] All in all this totals to a number of 466 MPs, five fewer than in 2008 and 122 fewer than in 2012.[9] While for single-party lists the electoral threshold is kept at 5%, a higher threshold of 8–10% is introduced for electoral alliances. For the first time the Romanian electors residing abroad will be able to cast their vote via mail, in a reaction to the flawed procedures at the 2014 presidential election.[9]

Parties

Although the image of Victor Ponta and his Social Democratic Party (PSD) was badly affected by corruption scandals and a recent wave of protests, the party remains one of the two major parties in Romania. Besides the PSD, the Romanian party system however went through a number of substantial regroupings.

Major regroupings

Leading center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Centre Right Alliance (ACD) of the Conservative Party (PC) and National Liberal Party (PNL) contested the 2012 legislative election under the joint ticket of the Social Liberal Union (USL).[12] They won an absolute majority to form a government headed by prime minister Victor Ponta.

During the legislature, PC and PNL however increasingly distanced themselves from each other with the PC – despite its name – embracing social liberalism and being affected by corruption scandals involving its leader, Dan Voiculescu, who was subsequently sentenced to prison for money laundering. In turn, the PNL dropped out of the coalition government in February 2014.[13] Formerly affiliated with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the party applied for membership in the European People's Party (EPP) to be later admitted a full member.[14] Increasingly orienting to the right, the PNL suffered a split, as a faction centered around Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu left to become the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) which eventually merged with the PC to form the Romanian Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, eponymous with the European party.[15][16]

Subsequently, the PNL joined forces with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), which itself had suffered a split, when Traian Băsescu left to form the new party People's Movement.[17] Ahead of a complete merger, PDL and PNL formed the Christian Liberal Alliance,[18] which successfully fielded Klaus Iohannis in the November 2014 presidential election.[19] The two parties fully merged on 17 November 2014 under the name of National Liberal Party (PNL).

In June 2015, left-wing National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) which before had polled in the Centre Left Alliance with the Social Democrats, absorbed the remainders of dissolved populist PP-DD,[20] after that party's founder Dan Diaconescu was convicted for extortion.[21] UNPR president Gabriel Oprea advanced the variant of launching an independent list in the legislative election as one of two options.[22] While aiming for 10% at the upcoming national vote,[23] the party also reaffirmed its commitment to the Centre Left Alliance with the PSD.[24] However, in July 2016, UNPR joined the right-leaning People's Movement Party led by former president Traian Băsescu, despite protests from some UNPR members.[25][26] Oprea, himself under investigation for abuse of power, resigned from the party and declared his intention to leave politics.[27]

Further developments

Conservative MEP Maria Grapini accused PC of betrayal after fusion with PLR.[28] The People's Movement Party, formed around former President Traian Băsescu after splitting from PDL, was rocked by the arrest of its leader Elena Udrea in Microsoft licensing corruption scandal[29] and is losing popularity.

A new nationalist party, United Romania Party (PRU), was founded by MP Bogdan Diaconu on 17 August 2014 and became official by court decision on 17 February 2015.

Another new and unpredictable element in this election is the rise of the Union for the Salvation of Romania [USR], a party recently created from its base in Bucharest as the Union for the Salvation of Bucharest. Led by Nicușor Dan, a mathematics professor, this is a reformist group of newcomers to politics committed to rooting out corruption. Recent polling data shows the USR poised to exceed its goal of 10 per cent of the popular vote.

The largest political formation of an ethnic minority, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, has a chance to be represented in the parliament.

Parties to be entered in the election and their leaders[30]1
PSD (Liviu Dragnea) PER (Dănuț Pop) ALDE[31] (Daniel Constantin, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu)
PSR (Constantin Rotaru) USR (Nicușor Dan) AN (Marian Munteanu)
PMP (Traian Băsescu)
PNL (Alina Gorghiu)
PRM (Emil Străinu)
PRU (Bogdan Diaconu)
UDMR (Hunor Kelemen)
1On the left side are displayed left-wing parties, in center are displayed centrist parties, and on the right side are displayed right-wing parties.

Opinion polls

  Parties that surpass the parliamentary threshold of 5%
  Parties that don't surpass the parliamentary threshold of 5%
Poll source Date Sample size PNL PDL PLR PSD–UNPR–PC PPDD UDMR PRM PMP PNȚCD M10 PRU Other Lead
INSCOP 1–6 Jul 2014 1,055 19.3% 11.9% 42.3% 2.8% 5.4% 3.2% 7.5% 1.2% 13.7%
CCSCC 20–26 Aug 2014 1,248 34% 5% 38% 4% 6% 2% 7% 4%
INSCOP 30 Aug–4 Sep 2014 1,058 31.5% 4.4% 42.6% 3.4% 5.8% 3.3% 7.1% 0.8% 10.1%
INSCOP 27 Nov–2 Dec 2014 1,076 41.7% 3.3% 38.8% 2.3% 5.1% 1.2% 5.6% 0.6% 2.9%
Poll source Date Sample size PNL PLR PSD–UNPR–PC PPDD UDMR PRM PMP PNȚCD M10 PRU Other Lead
CSOP 13–18 Dec 2014 1,044 47% 34% 2% 6% 3% 3% 13%
CSOP 27 Jan–4 Feb 2015 1,036 49% 32% 2% 6% 2% 3% 17%
INSCOP 5–10 Feb 2015 1,065 44.2% 3.3% 37.4% 1.4% 5% 1.1% 4% 0.9% 6.8%
Avangarde 18–26 Feb 2015 900 40% 5% 37% 3% 5% 4% 3% 3%
CSOP 3–10 Mar 2015 1,007 49% 31% 2% 7% 2% 2% 18%
CSCI 24–28 Mar 2015 1,073 39% 6% 37% 2% 5% 2% 3% 2%
ARP 30 Mar–3 Apr 2015 1,100 44% 3% 34% 2% 5% 2.5% 2.5% 1% 10%
CSCI 20–24 Apr 2015 1,090 42% 5% 39% 1% 4% 1% 3% 3%
Avangarde 21–29 Apr 2015 950 43% 5% 40% 1% 4% 1% 2% 2% 3%
INSCOP 23–30 Apr 2015 1,085 44.7% 2.2% 39.1% 1% 5.2% 2% 2.8% 1% 5.6%
Poll source Date Sample size PNL ALDE (PLR+PC) PSD UNPR (incl. PP–DD) UDMR PRM MP PNȚCD M10 PRU Other Lead
INSCOP 9–14 Jul 2015 1,075 44.5% 3% 37.1% 5.1% 2.1% 2.4% 1.2% 2.3% 2.3% 7.4%
CSCI 10–17 Aug 2015 1,021 41% 3% 37% 2% 5% 3% 5% 3% 1% 4%
Avangarde 1–7 Sep 2015 1,000[32] 32% 6% 34% 7% 2% 4% 2% 5% 8% 2%
INSCOP 10–15 Sep 2015 1,085 42% 2.6% 35% 5.1% 5% 1.3% 2.5% 1% 2% 1% 2.5% 7%
INSCOP 26 Nov–2 Dec 2015 1,071 40.1% 4% 36.3% 2.6% 5.2% 1.1% 4.4% 1% 2.4% 2.9% 3.8%
ARP 2–6 Dec 2015 950 35% 6.5% 34% 2.5% 4% 5% 7.5% 2.5% 1.5% 1.5% 1%
CIADO 1–5 Feb 2016 1,157 35.45% 4.57% 36.42% 23.56% 0.97%
INSCOP 21–28 Mar 2016 1,068 37.2% 5.3% 39.2% 5% 1% 5.1% 0.4% 2.2% 1.2% 3.4% 2%
Poll source Date Sample size PNL ALDE PSD PMP (incl. UNPR) UDMR USR PRU Other Lead
CIADO 1–10 Aug 2016 5,428 (urban only) 32.33% 8.2% 35.76% 7.57% 5.1% 8.1% - 2.94% 3.43%
TNS 14–23 Sep 2016 1,000 25% 7% 45% 4% 5% 10% 3% 1% 20%
ARP 17–24 Sep 2016 1,170 30% 5.5% 38% 4% 5% 9% - 8.5% 8%
CIADO 6–30 Oct 2016 4,500 29.3% 6.5% 44.6% 4.9% 5.2% 5.7% 2.5% 1.3% 15.3%
CCSB 1-7 Nov 2016 1,261 27.2% 5.2% 40.2% 5% 5.4% 11% 4.2% 1.8% 13%
TNS 11-21 Nov 2016 1,003 18% 7% 40% 7% 3% 19% 3% 3% 21%
Avangarde 29 Nov 2016 Unspecified 24-31% 5-6% 40% 5-7% - 7-15% 3-5% - 9-16%

References

  1. ↑ Chiujdea, Silvana (22 July 2015). "Liviu Dragnea, ales preşedinte interimar al PSD. ASCENSIUNEA baronului de Teleorman, dintr-un modest inginer la IUGTC Craiova, la şefia celui mai mare partid din România". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian).
  2. ↑ Votul pe listă revine la alegerile din 2016
  3. ↑ Știrile ProTV. 31 August 2016 http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/politic/alegeri-parlamentare-2016-guvernul-decide-data-in-care-vom-fi-chemati-la-urne-pentru-alegerea-senatorilor-si-deputatilor.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ Pană, Ştefan (5 January 2016). "ANALIZĂ: 2016, anul alegerilor locale şi parlamentare. Noile reguli electorale". Mediafax.
  5. ↑ "Legea votului prin corespondenţă, promulgată de preşedinte". Gândul. 19 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Andrei, Cristian (24 February 2015). "NOUA LEGE ELECTORALĂ. Parlamentari aleşi pe liste şi campanii electorale finanţate de stat". Gândul (in Romanian).
  7. ↑ Zachmann, Sebastian (27 February 2013). "Votul pe listă revine la alegerile din 2016". Adevărul (in Romanian).
  8. ↑ "Schimbări MAJORE la viitoarele alegeri parlamentare: Se renunţă la uninominal şi se revine la votul pe liste". România TV (in Romanian). 24 February 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Mihai Pelin; Ana-Maria Popescu (21 July 2015). "New Election Law in Romania". Radio România Internaţional. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  10. ↑ Filimon, Paul (20 July 2015). "Legea ALEGERILOR PARLAMENTARE pe LISTE, promulgată de Iohannis". România Liberă (in Romanian).
  11. ↑ Rosca, Iulia (20 July 2015). "Presedintele Klaus Iohannis a promulgat Legea alegerilor parlamentare". HotNews.ro (in Romanian).
  12. ↑ Romanian opposition parties join forces, SE Times, 06/02/2011
  13. ↑ "Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government". The Sofia Globe. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
  14. ↑ "EPP concerned over actions of radical Islamic militant groups and over latest political developments in Romania; welcomes five new member parties". European People's Party. 12 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "New political party in Romania". romania-insider.com. 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  16. ↑ http://www.aldeparty.eu/en/news/alde-party-president-welcomes-establishment-new-party-romania
  17. ↑ Grigoras, Alina (29 January 2014). "People's Movement Party aims re-launching". NineO'Clock.ro. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  18. ↑ Georgescu, Serban (22 July 2014). "PNL and PDL form the Christian Liberal Alliance". nineoclock.ro. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  19. ↑ "Romanians elected Klaus Iohannis their new president for the next five years". TheDiplomat.ro. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  20. ↑ Novaceanu, Alina (29 June 2015). "Oprea: Am încheiat o fuziune prin absobţie cu PP-DD. Suntem un partid al uşilor deschise" (in Romanian). Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  21. ↑ "Romanian media owner and politician gets five years in jail for blackmail". romania-insider.com. 2015-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  22. ↑ Tomescu, Ioana (19 July 2015). "Gabriel Oprea: UNPR are două variante pentru viitoarele alegeri, în alianţă cu PSD sau singuri". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian).
  23. ↑ "UNPR's Oprea: UNPR matters in Romanian politics". Agerpres. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  24. ↑ "UNPR will support the prime minister-designate and his cabinet in Parliament". Agerpres. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  25. ↑ Carmen Vintilă (20 July 2016). "PMP și UNPR au FUZIONAT astăzi. Traian Băsescu: "Cel mai bun profil de premier sunt eu"". Evenimentul Zilei.
  26. ↑ "UPDATE Congresele reunite ale PMP și UNPR au aprobat în unanimitate fuziunea". Agerpres. 20 July 2016.
  27. ↑ "Gabriel Oprea, urmarit penal de DNA in dosarul "Audi + jacuzzi". Fostul ministru a venit la DNA cu trei garzi de corp". Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  28. ↑ Dolana, Andra (18 June 2015). "SCANDAL ÎN PC. Grapini își varsă "amărăciunea" pe Facebook. Conservatorii: Hoțul strigă hoții". România Liberă (in Romanian).
  29. ↑ Pickles, Kate (11 February 2015). "Glamorous former Romanian tourism minister and presidential candidate is detained on suspicion of money laundering". Daily Mail.
  30. ↑ http://parlamentare2016.bec.ro/candidati/partide-care-au-depus-la-biroul-electoral-central-liste-de-sustinatori-la-nivel-national-la-alegerile-pentru-senat-si-camera-deputatilor-din-data-de-11-decembrie-2016/
  31. ↑ Neagu, Alina (19 June 2015). "Daniel Constantin si Calin Popescu Tariceanu au semnat protocolul de fuziune intre PC si PLR: Noua formatiune se va numi Partidul Alianta Liberalilor si Democratilor (ALDE)". HotNews.ro (in Romanian).
  32. ↑ (Bucharest only)
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